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"Metal, symphony and electronica" Arctic Dreams discuss Arctic Metal in our Spotlight





The Arctic Dreams story began in 2009 with Aleksandr [Alex_Y] Järvinen (vocal/guitars/music/lyric), Igor [Sydius] Pokatilov (back-vocal/guitars), Sergey [Glam_Dickens] Dik met in Neva. They had one goal: to do something different from all the other styles of heavy music. So they experimented with gotic guitar styles, and electronic and classical music.


The band's touring was put on ice (ha ha) for a while, but they were still working on material and came back together to make their debut album And The Agony Has Started in their own recording studio .


We caught up with the trio to find out more...


Alex_Y: Hi! We're happy to talk with you again


Sydius: Thanks for having us


Glam_Dickens Hi! Glam Dickens is here, God of Thunder bass!


PLEASE TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.


Alex_Y: Our project is called Arctic Dreams. It is very difficult for us to describe what we play. It's such a poisonous mixture of traditional metal styles, electronic gothic and classical music. We call it 'arctic-metal'.


Sydius: One of the inconspicuous points in the history of the Universe



TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST ALBUM OR SINGLE


Alex_Y: Awww, we had a fascinating thing happen with our latest release. In early 2024, our distributor arbitrarily removed our debut album “And The Agony Has Started” from our catalogue due to allegedly bumped listens on Spotify. However, Spotify itself has no claims against us. As a result, we said goodbye to the distributor and the question of a new download of the release on the site arose. And in the summer of 2023 we agreed on a new concept of sounding us. And we had in our mind to remake the sound of the debut with the participation of new members of our collective. This release will be released on 01.05.2024 on all known venues, so we invite you and your readers to familiarize yourself with it.


WHICH SONG WOULD YOU SAY SUMS UP YOUR SOUND THE BEST?


Alex_Y: Tough question.... They are all part of our universe and show us from different sides of our creation. Let it be the title track “And The Agony Has Started”. Exactly, in it the three components of our music are most clearly expressed: metal, symphony and electronica.


Sydius: “My favorites for today are Way to Infinity and Join to Space. Since a lot of time has passed and my ego is a bit disconnected with my guitar parts, I can try to judge it as a listener, and I like the mystic psychedelic electronic vibe”


DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC IN A FEW WORDS.


Alex_Y: Fury, Сold, Иorth


Sydius: Raw beauty of digitalised cosmic apocalypse


WHO HAVE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES BEEN?

Alex_Y: I'll answer for all the band members. Metallica. If they answer that question differently, it would be a lie.


Sydius: Classical music, progressive fusion and pop.


Glam_Dickens: It has started with KISS. Every band or genre have influenced me this or that way, and not only music, of course.


HOW DID YOU GET INTO MUSIC?


Alex_Y: I was 9 years old. At that time, the kids in my town had a fashion for band T-shirts. My parents bought me a Scooter t-shirt. I remember I went to my friends' house in the neighbour's yard in my neighborhood and was ridiculed for that t-shirt. They said Scooter was crap and you should listen to Metallica and Sepultura. I told this to my grandfather and he took me to the local market where they sold cassettes and CDs, but unfortunately, these bands were out of stock and he bought me a cassette of a famous Russian heavy metal band. That's how I got into heavy music.


Sydius: Still trying to get in


Glam_Dickens: I started listening to KISS and wanted to become a musician. Gene Simmons was my inspiration, of course. So, I bought a bass guitar and started practising.



WHAT IS THE CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE FOR YOU WHEN MAKING MUSIC?


Alex_Y: In my case for aging wine or beer. An idea in my head comes out of the blue and then ferments like those drinks in my head. And after a while, it turns into words and notes.


Sydius: Like a routine job, but it’s a dream job


Glam_Dickens: “ I just pick up my instrument and start playing. Sometimes I try to play a melody out of my head, sometimes I am just working out a riff. There are no standards or boundaries.”


WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THE COOLEST COLLABORATION PROJECT BETWEEN YOU AND ANOTHER ARTIST?


Alex_Y: Performing with Justin Bieber is a dream come true for me, hahahahaha. Just kidding I think with some of the legends.... Metallica, Rammstein, Iron Maiden....


Sydius: I’d like to combine best branches of our style: Aphex Twin for electonic, Berlin Philarmonic as a live orchestra, Jason Richardson as guest guitar, Aaron Kitcher as guest drummer, Dimash as guest vocals, Sean Malone as guest bass


Glam_Dickens: I can not say for sure, the process itself is always interesting not depending on a person but his skills and creative background.


PLEASE TELL US A RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOURSELF.


Alex_Y: “I lived in Finland for a year, unsuccessfully trying to become a Finnish metal star. I was 20 years old, ran out of money and had to go back home.


Sydius: The current number of my toes is 10


Glam_Dickens: I am not an extraterrestrial... I think.



WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?


Alex_Y: Never give up


Sydius: Don’t become a musician


Glam_Dickens: I think my own experience, deeds, etc. are the best advices or lessons for me.


IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT THE INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?


Alex_Y: Well, that would be the realm of the fantastic. I'd ban the idea of streaming platforms. But unfortunately the digital process cannot be stopped.


Sydius: I’d like to somehow educate the listeners so they wouldn’t vote for music with too mediocre cultural value. But I’m actually happy that people like mediocre music so that I still got a job )By the way the goal of a music school is not to raise a musician (it’s the goal of a music college) but to raise a listener.


Glam_Dickens: I am not aware of the processes yet, so I feel incompetent to comment it.


WHAT'S NEXT?


Alex_Y: We have a second album in process. Our goal is to release it by the end of 2024. And of course, to finally start performing regularly.


Sydius: It’s a button usually in the down right corner of the window you should click


PLEASE ADD ANY SOCIALS SO WE CAN SHARE


Alex_Y: “We have a number of resources on which we regularly update:

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